Improvement in harvesters



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC VAN DOREN, OF SOMERVILLE, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT iN HARVEsTERs.

Specification forming part'ot' Letters Patent No. 19,884, dated April 6, 1858.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, IsAAo VAN DoREN, of Somerville, Somerset county, State ot' New Jersey, have invented a new and useful and Improved Method of Constructing Harvest ers, whereby the sickle and sickle-beam can he easier and better elevated and changed in position; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, and makingapart of this specihcaiion.

Figure lis a view of the several parts in the position they have when thesickle and beam are atthelcwestpoint Fig.2isaviewofthesame parts when the sickle is raised or elevated. Fig. 3 is a back view, showing more plainly the operation of the parts on and with each other. Fig. 4 shows the manner ofconnection between the sickle-lever and sickle-bar.

' The general nature of myinvention consists h in so constructing and arranging the several parts that the elevation of the sickle can'be varied by simply moving or sliding backward or forward the part with which it is connected,

I curved part, B, the upper and lower edges of which are parts of concentric circles struck or described from the point C as a center, such point being the place of connecting the upper end ot' the sickle-lever D to the part working it. The upper edge is beveled backward and downward and the lower edge backward and upward, as seen in Fig. 1, so thatthe parttting it and moving on it Will, as seen in Fig. 3, lie close upon it. rlhese concentric edges or surfaces 3 and 4 need not necessarily, however, be beveled, as described, but may be iiat or have continuous recesses or slots in them, it

such concentric curved lips or surfaces, and

chine.

that the part E, hereinafter mentioned, inoving upon them, should be fitted to them.

Fitted to and moving upon this part B is a part or frame, E, which extends below it, and to which is attached the lever D, the sicklebeam and bar, and other portions of the ma The frame E is titted to the part B, as shown in Fig. 3, and has ot' course no motion except a circular one upon the edges of B, and this motion, by the use and arrangement ofthe two concentric curves 3 and 4 is'entirely upon and confined to such curves irrespective of any connection with or support from the center C, it being the same whether the lever D, which joins the only connection with the center C, is attached or not. As will be readily perceived, when the part or fratrie E is inthe position shown in Fig. 1 the sickle will be the lowest and the nearest to the ground, whereas when this frame is moved backward on the curved seat B, as seen in Fig. 2, the sickle will be ele vated and be higher from the ground. Such motion could not, however, be obtained in ordinarily-constructed harvesters, because the manner ot connecting the lever D to the part working itwould not permit lateral motion. By placing, however, a universal joint at C, and so connecting the lever D to the part operating it, the traine E and lever D, and the parts connected therewitln'can have the circular motion necessary, thejoint C freely allowing the same, and that, too, without any stra-in or twist ot' any part of the machine. -From this method ot' elevating the sickle it necessarily follows, however, that the sickle will,

lwhen in different positions, have a different inclination or pitch in respect to the ground. This I remedy by so constructing the part K, to which the sickle-beam is attached, movable on a center, and having a bolt, d, with a nut, e, working in a slot, f, as seen in Fig. 3, so

that it can-be fastened in any position, and by Vconnecting the lever D` to the sickle-bar G, as

shown in Fig. 4. 1

In the lower end of the lever D is a slot or recess,a, the upper part of which is concave, and which ts the broad hat end or head c of the sickle-bar. Through one ofthe shoulders or partsl forming one of the sides of the recess a is another but shallower similarly-con- -structed recess oropenin g, b, of a size sufficient to admit the sickle-bar proper, g. The recess a, and heads c aresufticientl'y large to secure strength enough of parts to act as an equivalent of a hinge in giving vibrations to the sickle, and the parts 1 2. sitting down over the sickle-bar, give it .steadiness The sickle-bar is prevented from dropping by the part K,` through which" it passes and by which it is sustained. This method of connection allows the lever D and bar G to turn atA pleasure upon each other. When the sickle requiresa low cut the part K will be dropped entirely down, as seen in Fig. 1, and the fastening-nut being then as seen in Fig. 3; but when the sickle is elevated, as shown in Fig. 2, the part K will be turned or moved upward, and the sickle be placed parallel with the ground.

The part K maybe simply a sustaining part for the sickle-beam and bar, or may be i so made, as seen in the drawings, so as to act as a dividing-shoe or a support for a carryingwheel for the machine.

The parts E and K are prevented from moving too far in either direction by stops or fastenings ot' any kind. and maybe held in any position desired. The particular construction of the parts B and E, so as to allow movement upon each other, may also be varied without interfering with the principle of the improve nient.

I do not claim elevating the sickle by means ofa plate or part swinging on a center and moving in a circle and carrying the sickle with it, this having been done by W. A. Kirby in his invention patented 1856; but

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

' 1. The arrangement and connection ot' the movable part E with the fixed part B by means of' the two concentric curves 3 and 4, or their equivalent, to secure proper motion to the part E without any necessary support or connection from the center G.

2. In combination with the parts B and lil, the secondary movable part K, substantially as described, to bring the sickle, whatever its position on the curve B, level with the cuttingsurface.

3. -In combination with the parts B, E, and K, the use and application ot` the universal joint C in connecting the sickle-lever to the maY chine, substantially as described, to allow of' the change in position of the sickle in the manner above described.

ISAAC VAN DORE.

1n presence of- J'. V. D. KELLEY, S. D. LAW. 

